A grant from a professional body for scientists has created new opportunities for underrepresented communities in Bath to learn about astronomy at the city’s Herschel Museum.
The £5,000 public engagement donation from the Institute of Physics has funded an eight-month collaboration between the museum, Bath Astronomers and the University of Bath Observatory.
The project, named Starseekers: Beyond the Museum Walls, has included a series of planetarium sessions, stargazing evenings, observatory workshops and other low and no-cost events and activities for families from disadvantaged backgrounds and the Black Families Education Support Group (BFESG), based at Bath’s Percy Community Centre.
The Herschel Museum of Astronomy, which is owned by Bath Preservation Trust, occupies the house in New King Street where self taught William Herschel and his sister Caroline lived, worked and made several important discoveries during the late 1700s.
It was in the house’s garden that, on a March night in 1781, William used a homemade telescope to become the first person to see Uranus, a planet that at its closest to earth is 1.6bn miles away.
Starseekers: Beyond the Museum Walls activities and events so far have included:
- Seven planetarium sessions held at the Percy Centre
- Two planetarium sessions in Bath Central Library specially for local community groups
- Consultation session with playscheme and BFESG
- Four ‘Space Detectives’ sessions
- A Cyanotype (blueprint photography invented by William Herschal’s son Sir John) activity held with BFESG
- Summer solstice stargazing session at the museum
- Summer Sunday learning event to engage with the public
- Four astronomy evenings.
Bath Preservation Trust learning and engagement officer Ellie Giles said: “It has been wonderful to work with people from all over Bath, engaging them with astronomy and science through our planetarium shows and workshops.
“Thanks to the Institute of Physics, we have been able to run these low and no-cost events with our partners at the University of Bath and Bath Astronomers, which anyone could join.
“The events have helped us to engage with new audiences, particularly young people, and remove the financial barrier that can stop people from accessing these experiences.”
Bath Preservation Trust director of museums Patrizia Ribul added: “Our overarching aim with this project was to introduce new audiences to astronomy and specifically to the contemporary relevance of the work of William, Caroline and John Herschel, a key exhibition theme at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy.
“The Institute of Physics grant enabled us to expand and improve access to our astronomy and planetarium experiences through local partnerships.
“We hope now to sustain this programme beyond the scope of this initial project and to engage hundreds more people in and around the city with astronomy – and beyond.”
Bath Preservation Trust has three other museums – No. 1 Royal Crescent, the Museum of Bath Architecture (currently closed) and Beckford’s Tower (also currently closed).
Queen guitarist Brian May is patron of the Herschel Museum.
